The IPL 2023 made headlines for all the wrong reasons during Match 43 of the season when an altercation occurred between Royal Challengers Bangalore star Virat Kohli and Lucknow Super Giants bowler Naveen-ul-Haq. This incident quickly became the most talked-about moment of the edition, and it even led to Kohli engaging in another heated chat with Gautam Gambhir during the same game.
Recently, Pakistan opener Imam-ul-Haq recalled the incident and revealed that Agha Salman had apparently messaged Kohli on Instagram to help calm him down afterward. It is worth noting that the BCCI took strong action against the players involved in the verbal dispute and imposed heavy fines on them.
“During the IPL, I remember Virat Kohli had a fight with Afghanistan bowler Naveen-ul-Haq. It was an intense fight that continued even after the game and Gautam Gambhir also joined it. It went viral and Virat was extremely angry. Following the incident, Salman Agha messaged him on his Instagram, ‘Kohli bachche easy ho ja. Kya ho gaya? (Kohli kid please calm down what happened),” Imam-ul-Haq said on the Honest Hour podcast.
Following the incident, both Kohli and Gambhir were fined 100% of their match fees due to their proven Level 2 offense. Additionally, Naveen-ul-Haq incurred a 50% deduction from his match fees for his Level 1 offense.
In the recently concluded 2023 ODI World Cup, a highly anticipated clash between Kohli and Naveen took place. The crowd was buzzing with excitement as they eagerly awaited the showdown between these two cricket giants during India's match against Afghanistan in New Delhi. As the match began, the atmosphere intensified when the Afghan seamer stepped onto the crease, only to be greeted with a hostile welcome from the entire crowd, chanting 'Kohli! Kohli!' as he prepared to bat in the first innings.
The intensity continued to rise during the second innings as Naveen bowled to Kohli. However, to the surprise of many, both players set aside their past differences and embraced each other during the match, putting an end to their heated rivalry. This unexpected display of sportsmanship left spectators in awe. In a post-match interview, Naveen revealed that Kohli had approached him, urging him to let go of the animosity. Naveen even went on to praise the Indian batting star for his remarkable achievements on the pitch.
